Ark. DHS expresses concern about release of audit

Gov. Mike Beebe said Thursday that the agency is capable of pointing out any flaws in the report but that DHS also has to fix any problems that are revealed.

Comment

By Associated Press

Stuttgart Daily Leader - Stuttgart, AR

By Associated Press

Posted Jan. 31, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Updated Jan 31, 2013 at 1:35 PM

By Associated Press

Posted Jan. 31, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Updated Jan 31, 2013 at 1:35 PM

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.

The Arkansas Human Services Department is expressing concern about the tone of an audit that is to be released to legislators, saying it has unsupported conclusions about the Medicaid program and was developed by using flawed procedures.

Gov. Mike Beebe said Thursday that the agency is capable of pointing out any flaws in the report but that DHS also has to fix any problems that are revealed.

Agency spokeswoman Amy Webb said in an email Wednesday that DHS had a statistician at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock review the audit procedures. Webb says the reviewer concluded the audit overstated questionable costs.

Webb says DHS regularly makes changes after being audited but complained that the coming report works to portray the Medicaid program "in the worst light."